Book tour Getting Back To Normal by Marilyn Levinson and guest Interview

Book Details:

Genre: YA/Grades 6-8
Published by: Untreed Reads Publishing
Release Date: May 29, 2013
E-Book File Size: 289 KB

Synopsis
Sixth-grader Vannie Taylor’s mom has just died. Her father’s completely lost without his wife and brings Vannie and her younger brother to live in a dismal cottage on the estate where he manages craft fairs, dinners, and other events.

A ghost named Archie befriends Vannie, and helps her prepare a wonderful supper for her brother. After Vannie discovers Archie’s secret, he asks Vannie to help him make amends for something in his past. But helping Archie means accepting a very large change in her own life. Things get back to normal for Vannie, but not in a way she’s ever imagined.

About Marilyn Levinson
Marilyn Levinson, a former Spanish teacher, writes mysteries, romance, and books for children and young adults.

Her romantic suspense, DANGEROUS RELATIONS, is a love story entwined with an intriguing mystery. GIVING UP THE GHOST is an entertaining ghost mystery. The first of her Twin Lakes Mysteries, A MURDERER AMONG US, was awarded a Best Indie of 2011 by Suspense Magazine. A new edition of A MURDERER AMONG US and its sequel, MURDER IN THE AIR, will be out soon.

A ghost, a mansion, and a feral Maine Coon cat feature in Marilyn’s brand new YA, GETTING BACK TO NORMAL. Three of her popular out-of-print children’s books, AND DON’T BRING JEREMY, NO BOYS ALLOWED, and RUFUS AND MAGIC RUN AMOK are now available as ebooks.

Marilyn is co-founder and past-president of the Long Island chapter of Sisters in Crime. She lives on Long Island.

Questions I asked Marilyn and her answers to them. Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions for my blog.

You write about ghosts in some of your books. Do you believe in Ghosts? or Haunted houses? Have you seen or felt a ghost?



I find your question very interesting because I’ve never contemplated it before. Archie the ghost in my YA, Getting Back to Normal, and Cameron Leeds in my mystery, Giving Up the Ghost, are so essential to the novels, I never considered NOT including them. Both Archie and Cam have unresolved issues they want to see settled before going to their rests. In each case, they ask a human to help them achieve these ends.



I’ve never encountered a ghost, though I’ve read about several ghost appearances, which lead me to believe that ghosts exist. I do believe in reincarnation and I can well imagine entities remaining here on Earth because of unresolved issues.



What state would you like to visit so you can set a book in that location?

National Park?

I loved visiting Santa Fe many years ago and remember having felt that it was indeed sacred ground. I also love the culture of the southwest Indian pueblos. I’d enjoy writing a book that takes place in that area. The terrain, the architecture, and the handicrafts are so different from those on Long Island.



Are you a dog person or cat person? Right now I have both and I definitely enjoy dogs more.



If I had to choose one, I’d say I’m a cat person. My red tom, Sammy, and I understand each another very well. I often have cats in my books, though Rufus has a dog in RUFUS AND MAGIC RUN AMOK. My friend, who lives across the street, just got a Shih Tzu puppy that I adore. I love dogs, but haven’t had one in many years.





How many books do you read in a year? Favorite food? Favorite author and book you recommend for others to read and why?



I read many, many books in a year. Most of them are mysteries because I write mysteries and love to read them, too. I also read what I’d call literary novels for want of a better label. Two that I recently finished and think highly of are FREEMAN by Leonard Pitts, Jr. and THE INTERESTINGS by Meg Wolitzer. I also enjoyed THE SILENT WIFE by A. S. A. Harrison.



The first questions I would really like to know. The others you can choose to answer or not. I just like to know.

Thanks I enjoyed your book. Rhonda laney



Great questions, Rhonda! I enjoyed answering them.

Marilyn

My Review Getting Back To Normal

4 STARS

This deals with grief of losing a parent also has a ghost in it at Halloween time. It starts right off getting into the story. Vannie, her brother Robby and father Roger are moving from their nice house into a dark cottage where were father works on the Greystone Gardens and manager.
Vannie's father has a hard time with his wife gone. He is used to her being a support to him when he gets stressed and needs to be calmed down and reassured.
He has a hard time remembering what he needs to do for his children. At first I did not like him. He was trying just needed to be more of a leader.
Vannie was good about taking care of her brother and comforting him and she needed more from her father too at this time. She decided she was going to cook some meals. At some times she was so grown up and others she was child needing and did not want her life to change even more. Vannie has gone through so many changes.
Her first evening she meets a ghost and he gives her a easy recipe to fix. It sounds good to try. The ghost wants her help.
This is a fast easy entertaining read. I think middle school and older would enjoy it. There is one scene that might be scary for younger children.
The ghost sure enjoys tumbling and realizes what is important and wishes he did not make the choices he made because it made his whole family sad with his passing.
Everybody was trying to have a normal life and wanted to be over the grief in their own way. It was important to realize that their mom does not want them to be unhappy.
Robby really opened his heart to take care of a stray cat and worried about it when they moved. Loving his cat helped him a lot also got him into trouble too.
This is a clean read that anyone can enjoy.
I was given this ebook to read and asked to give honest review of it and be part of the book tour.